Our environment set the tempo and colors the activities we engage in everyday. And Seasons make those distinctions as clear as snow. Talking about snow, the winter season brings a lot of vibes that can only be appreciated during the last chapter of the year. Down below are 10 activities you can engage in that is destined to make this winter season fun and memorable.
1. Anti cafรฉ
We all know that when the sun goes on a vacay and it’s cold and gloomy outside, strolling the street becomes less attractive than it used to be. We would rather stay indoors where it’s warm and cozy. But this can get boring very fast. And nobody wants to be bored in the house and just waiting out the season. Especially if you live in a place like Russia when the cold season is literally half of the year, give or take.
But one thing you can to change that is to visit an anti-cafรฉ (time club). A time club is warm, it’s cozy and it got all the things a normal cafe has and more. They got tonnes of board games, gaming consoles with myriad of games to choose from, Screens to Netflix and chill with friends, coffee, tea & snacks, cozy sofas, sandbags & blankets, comfy window seats sand isles of books (for all the book lovers out there).
These amenities do vary based on the time club you’re visiting. For instance some don’t offer refreshments, others are open 24/7 and so on) but they have the basic essentials that you need to chillax with friends.
For my Muscovites you can check out:
- Time Club ะฃะฑะตะถะธัะต (Address: Arkhangel’skiy Pereulok, 7 ัั1, Tsokol’nyy Etazh, Moscow, 101000)
- Geek Time (Address: Novoslobodskaya Ulitsa, 36/1, Moscow, 127055)
2. Hangout
Anytime you hear of a hangout, you know the vibes are destined to be chill. And if the hangout is right at home, nothing screams cozy than that ๐ฏ. This is similar to a time-cafe with a few distinctions. In a time club, everything is done for you. Everything has been organized and made available for you, you just pay for the time you spend there. While for a home hangout you have to do everything yourself: get the refreshments, organize the room making sure every thing is ready to go (and clean after the party).
But what home hangouts have that time cafรฉs lack is choice. When you are hanging out at the crib, you are in control of the theme. Unlike a time-cafe where what you see is what you get, at home you can get to add your flavor to it. You can get creative. At home you choose the theme and set-up everything exactly the way you want it: be it a Game Night, just a chill gathering or what ever the vibes you want to evoke.
So set a date , hit a couple of friends up, have fun with the theme and just kick it with the G’s at your comfort ๐ฏ.
3. Ice Skating
Of course, Winter + Snow = Ice skating season! This is an exclusive vibe to winter. Once the snow hits and things start to freeze, is a cue to cozy up, grab a pair of skates, grab a couple of friends and hit the ice.
You don’t know how to skate? Even better! It means they are definitely going to be no shortage funny memorable moments to look back on. After all, every black belt was once a white belt. And in no time you will get there. In the mean time, just enjoy the process. So Ice skating have no shortage of adrenaline. Be spontaneous, get yourself out there and live a little.
For my Muscovites, Moscow has no shortage of skating avenues once the season hits. That said, my personal favorite is VDNH. Its the biggest most vibrant and aesthetically pleasing ice rink I have ever seen.
3. Skiing
For my Gs’ that like to take it up high and let it all loose, this one is for you. Similar to ice skating but racked with highlands, speed, momentum, and pure adrenaline. Is like falling down from the sky on a staircase with no stairs. An experience you have to live to grasp ๐ฏ.
4. Museums
Like mentioned earlier, once the temperature drops, going outside becomes no longer attractive. But what if you can be outside without being outside? Museums can offer you that with their spacious halls and alleys.
Museums are interesting and often at times intriguing places to visit. I used to see museums and galleries as these fancy buildings that art people go to. They put their hands on their chins in that thought pose and then give these deep opinions and personal impressions about the piece. But a couple of years ago, I decided to check one out myself to see what all the “glamour” is about. And it turned out to be a moving experience.
The first museum I visited was the Pushkin museum. It made up of a myriad of halls and many compartments filled with paintings and sculptures. It showcases works of different artists (both contemporary and past ones), showcasing antique cultures and everything from grand events that happened in past centuries that molded our current world down to humble capturings of modest people as they go about their day-to-day activities.
Walking into a museum can feel like walking back in time. You are offered glimpses from days of yesterday and what life’s like at the time.
So book yourself a ticket to a museum. I bet you wouldn’t be disappointed. You will most certainly find something captivating in those halls. You can go with a company or go solo, either way the experience will be worthwhile.
I have good news for fellow Muscovites:Every 3rd Sunday of the month, exhibition halls, museums and galleries are free of charge! So every third Sunday of the month you can visit Moscow museums for free!!
5. Exhibitions and Galleries
These are similar to museums. The main distinction is that a museum is more like a conservatory building where works are stored on display (a more static environment). While exhibitions and Galleries are more dynamic and are always being changed and updated. More over, the artists’ works displayed can be purchased unlike museums. Thus, galleries exhibit and sell works of art.
6. Bowling
I know what you are thinking ” but bowling has nothing to do with winter, it’s more of a generic sport for all times”. And yes, you have a point. While you could go bowling during say summertime, there are a lot of other vibrant activities – outdoor activities you can engage in during summer. Thus, you cherish being able to ball during winter more.
And honestly, bowling is just a fun simple game that anyone can enjoy with little to know technique. You are simply just rolling a ball down a lane. Bowling being an indoor sport (group sport) and it simplicity just makes it a great option during the winter season.
For my G’s in Moscow, I will recommend Address: Kozhevnicheskaya Ulitsa, 15 ัััะพะตะฝะธะต 1, Moscow, 115114. They offer great prices especially if you have a student card.
7. Ice Bath
This is not for everybody, only for the brave. I think it’s one of those things that once you hear about it, you either get a rush of dread or tingly with anticipation of what it’s like. Ice Bath will give you a big shot of adrenaline so high like jumping out of a plane. It puts your body in a flight or fight scenario. And your body just goes completely into full instinct to keep you alive.
Unlike jumping out the plane which you have to go all the way or nothing, with Ice bathing you can take it a step at a time. You can pace yourself, increasing the degree of intensity as you build endurance. When I started taking cold showers, I would crank the cold tap for about 30-60 seconds. And as time went on, I began to increase my time under tension.
Unlike been rushed by a stream of cold water (when cold showering), here you literally sock yourself in it (mind, body and soul). It’s recommended to have a ritual in place that will help you ease into it.
Ice bathing is not just for the rush of it. It has tremendus health benefits and healing properties. Athletes use it to avoid fatique, eliminate toxins in the body and boost recovery. Even docors use it, cryotherapy, to treat a variety of tissue damages and for cancer treatment.
Disclaimer: Despite it health benefits, ice bathing should NOT be made a daily occurrence.
9. Winter Photography
I’m not a photographer but I do appreciate art. I admire the aesthetics and find myself in awe of its beauty, especially natural beauty. I catch my self taking spontaneous pictures of the sun setting๐, the scene after a rainfall or I’d just stop mid-way on the street because something caught my eye and I got to have it.
And then comes winter time, were these moments are abundant. The winter cold can be brutal, but the beauty it brings makes up for it. There is something about taking pictures, it’s like trapping the memories of whatever is happening in life in that moment. And anytime you look back on that picture, it’s like time travel- you reliving that moment.
So when ever you step out of the house, don’t forget to take some picturesque sceneries that the season brings and connect back to nature thus finding beauty in the little things.
And and last but not the least…
10. Hit the Malls
As hinted earlier, winter season is indoor season. When there is less to do outdoors, we search for more to do indoors. And the mall is a jackpot in this regard. You can literally just take walks in malls (window shop) for hours. More over, malls tend to have a lot of aesthetic decorations and themes these days especially when winter hits. As if in anticipation of the audience that the season brings.
You can shop for new outfits or get some stuff for summer (as summer clothes and stuff tend to be discounted massively in winter time and vice versa). Or you can chill at the food court (try new cuisines), have a change of view from house walls and just unwind with friends. You can go up to the top floor to see a movie or stop at the arcade for some nostalgic and competitive entertainment. In short, there are no shortage of things to do at malls. You’d be amazed of the time you can spend in that rabbit hole.. And if you live in Moscow, there are no shortage of malls to check out.
So there you have it! 10 things that you can do this winter season!! Don’t forget to comment down below: Your winter routines? What you are excited to try? and any other great winter activity that wasn’t mentioned.
Until next time, stay cozy โ๐พ.